Effect of Chronotype on Balance and Cognitive Function

Balance is the ability of an individual to maintain posture against gravity and sustain stability during movement; it depends on the coordinated functioning of the proprioceptive, visual, and vestibular systems, as well as the central nervous system. Current studies show that movement control occurs not only through the motor system but also through the interaction of sensory-cognitive-motor components. Cognitive functions encompass processes such as attention, memory, visuospatial skills, and executive functions, with attention and visuospatial processing playing a particularly important role in balance control. The literature reports significant relationships between balance and cognitive functions, particularly noting that increased attention requirements in dual-tasking situations negatively impact balance performance. Furthermore, it has been shown that both balance performance and cognitive functions are affected by circadian rhythm and chronotype, with individuals exhibiting different performance levels at different times of the day. Despite this, studies examining the relationship between balance and cognitive functions appear to have insufficiently addressed the chronotype factor. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate how the relationship between balance and cognitive functions changes according to individuals' chronotypes.